President Donald Trump ignited a fresh political firestorm after he lashed out at the ongoing release of Jeffrey Epstein’s sex trafficking case files. Specifically, he labeled the disclosure process a “Democratic hoax” in a blistering Truth Social post on Friday evening. Consequently, the attack drew immediate scrutiny and sharp criticism, primarily because it directly contradicts his own legislative record. In fact, Trump himself signed the “Epstein Files Transparency Act” into law just last month, a bill that passed with near-unanimous support from his own party.
In a rant that critics call a “complete 180-degree turn,” Trump characterized the document release not as a victory for transparency, but rather as a partisan weapon designed to distract from his administration’s achievements.
“The Dems are the ones who worked with Epstein, not the Republicans. Release all of their names, embarrass them, and get back to helping our Country!” Trump wrote on Truth Social. Furthermore, he dismissed the public’s interest in the case, adding, “The Radical Left doesn’t want people talking about TRUMP & REPUBLICAN SUCCESS, only a long ago dead Jeffrey Epstein – Just another Witch Hunt!!!”.
The “Hoax” Contradiction
Naturally, the backlash was swift, as political commentators and journalists pointed out the glaring inconsistency in the President’s stance. Notably, the Epstein Files Transparency Act mandates the release of these documents. Moreover, Republicans in Congress championed this legislation, which President Trump signed on November 19, 2025.
For instance, journalist Jake Sherman of Punchbowl News highlighted this irony immediately when he wrote, “The president signed the bill into law which set this into motion”.
Originally, the legislation required the Department of Justice (DOJ) to release all unclassified records related to the Epstein investigation within 30 days. However, delays marred the process. Specifically, the DOJ missed its initial December 19 deadline, citing the discovery of over one million additional pages of documents that required review. It seems this specific delay—along with the discovery of the massive new cache of evidence—triggered Trump’s Friday outburst.
“Now 1,000,000 more pages on Epstein are found. DOJ is being forced to spend all of its time on this Democrat inspired Hoax,” Trump complained. Additionally, he asked, “When do they say NO MORE, and work on Election Fraud etc.”.
“Panic” and Political Deflection
While Trump framed his grievances as a defense of government efficiency, observers suggested a different motive: political desperation. Significantly, the President’s attack on the files comes amidst a turbulent week for his administration, which faced headlines regarding military actions abroad and domestic unrest.
To illustrate this, Wall Street banker Evaristus Odinikaeze suggested the rant was a transparent attempt to control the news cycle. “He has attacked Venezuela, and it didn’t drown the Epstein files,” Odinikaeze wrote. “He bombed Nigeria yesterday, and still hasn’t been able to overshadow the Epstein scandal. And all that was after Government shutdown and national guard deployments didn’t help him bury this Epstein story. He’s panicking!”.
Similarly, independent journalist Michael Dominowski echoed this sentiment, as he questioned the logic of dismissing a massive document dump as a fabrication. “A million more passes of Epstein files, and they’re all fake? That’s a whole lot of hoaxin’,” he noted.
Meanwhile, Greg Canty, an Irish public relations executive, gave an even blunter assessment of the President’s leadership style during the crisis: “And he’s off again blaming someone else, pathetic empty vessel”.
Alienating the Base?
Furthermore, political commentator Yashar Ali of HuffPost noted that Trump’s reversal risks alienating the very supporters who campaigned for the release of the files. For months, the “Epstein Client List” remained a rallying cry for segments of the MAGA movement, who believed it would expose deep corruption within the Democratic establishment.
“President Trump is once again referring to the Epstein files matter as a Democratic hoax,” Ali wrote. “The reason the Epstein files matter is such a major issue is because his top allies made it so during the campaign and promised that, if he won, the files would be released. Some of the people who voted for him get very angry when he calls it a hoax”.
Ali also pointed out that the extended news cycle is largely a self-inflicted wound by the administration. “It’s worth noting this would have wrapped up long ago had his administration not repeatedly promised things and then walked them back”.
Likewise, political commentator Molly Jong-Fast summarized the shock many felt at the President’s sudden shift when she called the reversal “kind of incredible”.
Calls for Immediate Action
As the administration attempts to downplay the significance of the files, legal experts urge the Department of Justice to stop dragging its feet. Currently, the timeline for releasing the newly discovered one million pages remains unclear, especially since the DOJ warned it could take “a few more weeks” to redact sensitive information.
In response, former federal prosecutor Kristy Greenberg offered a direct path forward to bypass the bureaucratic delays that Trump is complaining about.
“Here’s an easy way for DOJ to cut time redacting the Epstein files: waive any claims that information in the files is privileged,” Greenberg wrote. “Stop hiding behind attorney/client, deliberative process, and work product privileges. Protect the victims. Release the rest of the files”.
Conclusion
Ultimately, the controversy over the Epstein files evolved from a demand for transparency into a complex political liability for the White House. By attacking the very process he authorized, President Trump finds himself in a precarious position: he is trying to close a Pandora’s box that he, legally and rhetorically, helped to open. With over a million documents still awaiting release, and because investigators have yet to fully vet specific details about flight logs and high-profile associates—including Democrats and Republicans alike—the “hoax” will likely dominate headlines well into the new year.
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